A Noiseless, Patient Spider
by Kiaramori
Summary: After his defeat, Naraku is trapped in an inescapable prison, forgotten by the world. Choking on darkness, he finds comfort in the one person he was supposed to hate the most. Inu/Nara
1. Chapter 1

Day 1

_It would seem the humans do not possess the guts to kill me. When I escape this prison, I shall make them regret it._

Naraku paused, and then put his pen down; one of the very few things afforded to him when he was imprisoned and left to rot by the humans and their pet hanyou. That would suffice for a journal entry. When they wrote a book on the greatest demon lord in existence, they would not need to know of how dank and dark the prison was; nor the stench that filled the room as he wrote. The smell of waste. They would not need to know how he was cold or miserable or lonely. He had always been lonely, though. There was little new there. Even now, a very deep part in his soul longed to be touched by his mate. If he ever met them; which now seemed so unlikely.

They would not need to know of how utterly he had lost the battle, completely defeated by a small group of humans and one very overpowered hanyou. They would not need to know how he wished they had killed him. They would not need to know that if he knew of a way to kill himself, he would have done it by now.

They would not know how utterly devoid of hope he was. He knew, inside himself, that he would never escape his prison.

Day 6

_I wish to kill something._

He wanted to kill millions of people, covering the ground with carnage. He wanted to drink of the blood of his enemies. He wanted to tear off the cute little ears of the hanyou that put him in here. He wanted to feel his hands crush the brains of the little girl that had been the true reason for his downfall. If he could just destroy her little miko powers, he could escape this prison. If he was immune to them, the humans would have never been able to touch him, let alone encage him in this magical barrier that worked only for him.

He tried to focus on thoughts like these, rather than how he needed someone, anyone, to speak with. Or even to see. The need for some sort of company was deeper than his need for food or water or hygiene. It was deeper even than his longing for a mate.

Day 9

_I wish a book of verse._

He had already exhausted everything he had memorized of late, speaking it into the stillness. The silence was deafening, almost seeming to surround him. He had even tried singing, as human as that sounded, to dispel the silence. But everything just seemed to die on his throat, as he looked into the darkness. There was something fundamentally wrong with the nothingness he faced every day when he woke. He preferred a fearsome beast, or the torture of hell, to the endless expanse of nothingness that encompassed about him every day, every hour but the one when the miko's spell allowed him the faintest of lights he could write by.

He wanted to hear someone's voice but his own.

Day 13

_I will escape. There is no other option._

Naraku did not admit the countless attempts he had already made. The silence and the darkness were making him desperate. Why could he not force his voice to make a noise? His throat had closed up. Perhaps it was all the singing and reciting of verse. Perhaps it was not having water for eight days. Perhaps, he was nearly crazy enough to admit it, he was too afraid and hopeless even to speak.

He did not need someone to talk to. Not to touch. Not to see, even. He just needed them to be there.

Day 16

_The light the miko provides is becoming dimmer, and lights for less time. Does not mean the barrier is getting weaker. Have tested that theory already._

Naraku tried to conceal the pain he was in. Though the barrier did not shock him as he tried to escape, only acted like a wall, he had thrust his body against it the last ten hours. It refused to break. Only his body did.

He tried to grasp at the light, his only hope in the world.

If it died, he did not know he would possess the strength to survive

He didn't know if he possessed the strength to survive as it was.

Day 26

_The humans sent an idiot to clean. Will exploit his weaknesses._

Naraku refused to write about the naked hope that he felt when the door to his prison was opened. The only thing that stopped him from embracing the person was his utter lack of strength. He just lay there, basking in the light of the sun, and staring worshipfully at the man. He had lasted twenty six days. Twenty six days without food or water. Three days without light. Twenty three days pining for any sort of company at all.

"Kagome sent me down here." Inuyasha said gruffly. "The stink was starting to waft up through the door, and she hates that kind of stuff." He coughed awkwardly.

Naraku stared blankly, wishing he had any sort of strength he could spend, so he could prove their captivity hadn't affected him as it had. Inuyasha gave him a look that was unrecognizable, and then picked up the pail and left, closing the door behind him.

It made sense that he would just do that. It would be all the proof the miko needed that Inuyasha had done as was required of him. Naraku laughed a dry, humorless laugh. His first encounter with another person, and it was over faster than it had begun. In truth, he felt like he had been pushed from a cliff. The darkness in his soul began to envelop him, and he was too far gone to even be anything but alone.

Ten minutes later, though, Inuyasha returned, with arms full of lanterns, mops, rags, and a bucket full of bottles and sponges. Then he left, coming back with a giant basin of water. He struggled down the steps with it, and then finally set it down in the center of the room, right under the sunlight. Then, he began to help Naraku undress. Naraku suppressed a jolt when Inuyasha's hands touched him. It felt…right. Like nothing ever before. He basked in the attention, until Inuyasha finally set him, gingerly, in the water.

He was dead, he decided. He had died in the awful prison, and had somehow managed to snag a spot in heaven. That was the only explanation. He lay like that for an hour, feeling the warmth of the sunlight on his face. He looked over at Inuyasha, who was scrubbing the wall furiously.

Why was he being so kind? Naraku couldn't find a reason why, and knew it wasn't to be trusted. But still…he had not felt so good in a long time. More than twenty six days. Maybe his whole life. He tried to put his finger what it was that made him feel so wonderful at that moment.

Finally, Inuyasha finished cleaning. Naraku sighed morosely, knowing the moment of respite was over. He didn't know if he could go back to how it was.

Then, Inuyasha pulled out a bar of something. He rubbed his hands on it, forming foam, and then Naraku felt the hanyou begin to clean his body. It felt so wonderful. Like a new heaven. He never, ever wanted it to stop. Then Inuyasha's hands pulled away, only to begin to massage his scalp. When he had finished, he guided Naraku out of the bath, helping him to get dressed in new, clean clothes. Then he left, only to come back with a warm loaf of bread and some fruit, along with a full jug of water.

"There." He said. "Now you can go back to being the evil, twisted demon we all know and hate. It's disturbing seeing you…weak." He announced, before finally leaving for good.

It was only when his loneliness returned that Naraku realized it. When Inuyasha had been there, he had not felt lonely for the first time in his life.

Day 27

_The lackey returned today. Unclear what his motives are._

"Kagome forced me to come." Inuyasha announced the second day, gruffly pulling a book from one of his sleeves. "She's making me do her homework for her, reading a bunch of stupid poems.

"Why does that make you need to come here?" Naraku cut off his insult. He had to be nice to Inuyasha, or the hanyou wouldn't come back. It was something Naraku was gladly willing to endure if it meant he would not have to be in the silence any more. Inuyasha didn't respond, though, only started reading.

"A Noiseless, patient spider,

I mark'd, where, on a little promontory, it stood, isolated;

Mark'd how, to explore the vacant, vast surrounding,

It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself;

Ever unreeling them—ever tirelessly speeding them.

And you, O my Soul, where you stand,

Surrounded, surrounded, in measureless oceans of space,

Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing,—seeking the spheres, to connect them;

Till the bridge you will need, be form'd—till the ductile anchor hold;

Till the gossamer thread you fling, catch somewhere, O my Soul.

"By Walt Whitman." Inuyasha finished, effectively ruining the spell he had cast with his voice. He yawned. "Man, this is boring!" He tossed the book to Naraku, and he caught it effortlessly. "Read that for me, will you? I'll leave the lantern with you. Then you can sum it up for me tomorrow."

"Coming tomorrow too? Desperate for my company?" How did he know I wanted a book of prose? A light? Why did he have to comfort me so perfectly?

"More like I enjoy forcing you to do my work like my little slave. It's very satisfying." He smirked, and Naraku was reminded again that the hanyou wasn't being kind. This was just his twisted way of gloating, as he fulfilled the miko's wishes.

Day 50

_I believe I will inform the idiot of his foolishness. I wish him gone._

The day had finally come when he lied to his journal, and not merely by omission. He smirked. He had reached a new low.

"The miko wouldn't know if you didn't come here." Naraku said, cursing himself for it. Of course the hanyou hadn't realized that before now. Now he would be gone, leaving Naraku to himself forever. What had possessed him to say such a stupid thing? It could not be pity for his enemy, seeing him work so hard every day to make it as clean as he could. No. He was just disgusted by the hanyou's do-goody presence.

Even as he thought it, he knew it wasn't true. If he couldn't lie to himself, though, who could he lie to?

"I don't think anyone deserve to get shoved into a hole and forgotten about." Inuyasha answered, tension filling his frame. "Not even you."

"Besides," Inuyasha added, almost to himself, "I never was very good at holding grudges"


	2. Chapter 2

Day 52

_The idiot hasn't come back yet. I suppose he must be dead._

Naraku was proud at how apathetic he made it sound on paper. Because, truth be told, he would die before the readers of this found out that he had been endlessly pacing back and forth in his prison since Inuyasha left two days ago. If they knew how many times he envisioned all the awful scenes of Inuyasha's death in his mind, not with glee, as he once did, but with a gnawing sense of dread. If he was left alone in this prison by himself again…He shuddered at the thought of returning to the shade that he was before Inuyasha came, bringing food, water, and light.

Trying to distract himself, he picked up the now tattered book of poetry Inuyasha had given him so long ago. He'd read it cover to cover the first night. Thinking of something new, he thought_: Inuyasha is doing whatever is happening in the first poem I open to_. It was a soothing thought. Most poems were love poems, or contemplative poems, so it was safe to say he'd turn to one that wouldn't get him too worried.

"In one long string I wound

Three times her little throat around

And strangled her."

A sharp image of Inuyasha being strangled by the witch Kagome with his own hair popped into Naraku's mind, unwanted. No good. Even poetry couldn't calm him down.

Day 53

_The idiot came back. Attempted to feed me some vile mixture of vomit and waste._

The third day, Inuyasha came back, putting on a forced smile.

"Where were you?" Naraku snarled, standing up from his place on the floor. Inuyasha looked worse than Naraku had imagined. He was covered in deep gashes and bruises, all over his body. His arms and legs were the worst, and Naraku wondered if there was any remaining skin on them. Worst of all to see, though, was that his hair was short, cropped close to his head. "What happened?"

"I just accidentally fell into some giant fans. It hurt, but I'm fine. It was my fault anyways, embarrassing Kagome at school." Inuyasha brushed it off. "How have you been holding up? I brought this awesome thing called ramen! You are going to love it!"

"You mean, that witch did this to you?" Naraku could barely conceal his fury.

"Well, I mean, it was an accident. She didn't mean to. I tried to get her attention from this window, and she was surprised and 'Sat' me, and I fell off. She didn't know the fan thing was there." Inuyasha was visibly agitated by the question. "But look, she felt really bad. She apologized a lot, and gave me as much ramen as I wanted, so it's fine."

"She didn't know there was a giant weapon right outside her window?" It was hard to believe. Naraku gritted his teeth, sitting Inuyasha down next to him to have a look at his wounds. Lacerations lined the arms he undoubtedly protected his face with.

"Well, we were pretty high up. Five stories, at least." Inuyasha shrugged, trying to hide his injuries. Naraku bit back his retort about how it was pretty evil to throw your lover from a building that high—how was she in a building that high? Naraku had never seen anything like that—fans or no fans. "But the real reason I was late was because we were looking for the remaining jewel shards for the last two days. Did you know where we could find them?"

"I will say nothing that will help that witch." Naraku touched Inuyasha's head remorsefully. "Your hair…did the fans do that?"

"Yeah, well, partially. It got really tangled up in them, and I had to cut it off. But, really, Naraku, quit worrying. It'll grow back in three days. Here, eat this ramen." Naraku glowered, disconcerted with Inuyasha's forgiving nature. If it had been him who had been accosted in such a manner…well, the first thing he would do would force her eyelids open with clamps. To make her watch as he slowly, painfully killed her.

He took a bite of the strange noodle dish, but quickly spit it out.

"What did you just feed me, hanyou?" Naraku growled, voice ice. "I would say it was poison, but no poison would taste that bad—nobody would swallow it."

"You don't like it?" Inuyasha seemed surprised. Naraku stared in shock. Wasn't it obvious? Who _would_ like such a vile mixture?

"Naturally. I doubt anybody of sense would like such a soggy, detestable mixture."

"How can you hate ramen?" Inuyasha asked, almost scandalized. "Do you have a soul?"

Naraku rolled his eyes. "No."

"Whatever. More for me."

Naraku watched in disgust as he happily ate two bowls of the ghastly dish. When Naraku finally escaped this awful prison, he would have to show the hanyou what real food was like.

No, he checked himself. When he escaped, Inuyasha would have to die with the rest of the humans. Even if Naraku somehow chose to let him live, the hanyou would surely hate him for killing his friends. That would just be the way it had to be. They would never be friends. This alliance was a temporary necessity, nothing more.

Even as he thought it, he felt his heart clench in his chest.

Day 54

_The idiot forced me to listen to him sing. The sacrifices I must make to escape this prison._

"Okay, Naraku. I'm going to have to practice down here. It's just the only soundproof place in the village"

"Practice what?" Naraku hoped the hanyou was going to say torture. How he longed to hear the screams of a pathetic creature.

"Kagome asked me to sing at this audition for some sort of school play, for moral support for her, and then also because not too many men were trying out. So, I did, and now I actually have to be in it. Luckily, they're not making me go to all of the practices, but…I'll be singing in front of almost one thousand people. I kinda want to do well."

"Do you do everything she says?" Naraku asked, irritated at how controlling the witch was.

"Shut up." Inuyasha shuffled through some papers. "Okay, here's the first one. It's called 'Soliloquy'"

"You are actually forcing me to listen to you sing?" Naraku complained. "Perhaps you were actually sent by the witch to torture me."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny. Just so you know, besides the stupid audition, I haven't sung since I was ten years old. So, can it, spider."

"That is very heartening." Naraku rolled his eyes preparing for the worst.

Inuyasha took a breath, than began.

_"What have I done? Sweet Jesus, What have I done?  
Become a thief in the night? Become a dog on the run?  
Have I fallen so far and is the hour so late?  
That nothing remains but the cry of my hate?  
The cries in the dark that nobody hears?  
Here where I stand at the turning of the years"_

Inuyasha's voice was surprisingly good, urgent and full of emotion. Naraku felt his eyebrows rise when Inuyasha started singing.

Now this was an interesting new development.

_"If there's another way to go, I missed it twenty long years ago  
My life was a war that could never be won  
They gave me a number, murdered Valjean  
When the chained me and left me for dead  
Just for stealing a mouthful of bread_

_Yet why did I allow that man, to touch my soul and teach me love?  
He treated me like any other  
He gave me his trust, he called me "brother"  
My life he claims for God above. Can such things be?  
For I had come to hate the world, this world that always hated me  
Take an eye for an eye, turn your heart into stone  
This is all I have lived for, this is all I have known"_

Naraku felt his agitation begin to rise. Somehow, the words touched a knot of uncomfortable feelings within him. He silently longed for Inuyasha to stop his singing. But how could he show that such a small thing as a song agitated to such a degree?

_"One word from him and I'd be back, beneath the lash upon the rack  
Instead he offers me my freedom  
I feel my shame inside me like a knife  
He told me that I had a soul. How does he know?_  
_What spirit comes to move my life? Is there another way to go?_

_I am reaching but I fall, and the night is closing in_  
_As I stare into the void, to the whirlpool of my sin_  
_I'll escape now from the world, from the world of Jean Valjean_  
_Jean Valjean is nothing now! Another story must begin!"_

As Inuyasha belted the final note, Naraku stood up, pacing the room. What was it about the song that itched at him so? How did it prick at his emotions in a way the crying of innocents could not? He felt his hands clench and unclench. What spell had the hanyou put him under?

"That bad?" The hanyou asked, scowling at the music perplexedly.

"Yes!" Naraku hissed vehemently. "How…how do you put such emotion into that song?" He had to ask.

"I just think of Kikyou, that's all." Inuyasha shrugged, blushing. "Look, I'll find somewhere else to practice."

With that, he left the room, leaving Naraku to agonize with the strange emotions gripping him.

Day 55

_Why do I fight?_

Naraku looked at the sentence, and then crossed it out until it turned into nothing more than a black spot on the page. He had his reasons for fighting. He hated the world. It was cruel and naïve and selfish all at the same time. He had seen the weaknesses of humans and demons countless times.

When he was a boy, Onigumo and his mother had been beaten by his father every night. They lived in fear, clinging to each other. He had loved her, and only her. She was the only person in the world that loved him through the bruises and harsh exterior. But when the time came, she left without him, abandoning him to the fury and frustrations of his father. The beatings got worse after that. His father got angrier.

Finally, when he was big enough and strong enough, Onigumo killed the man he called father and escaped into the forest. He starved then, forced to steal wht little he could to survive. He spent every day in fear, running from place to place, never with anywhere to belong.

_What have I done? Sweet Jesus, What have I done?  
Become a thief in the night? Become a dog on the run?_

Finally, he found someplace he could belong. At the age of thirteen, he joined a gang of bandits. The leader liked how he would do anything for a scrap of food. Even kill. Onigumo hated the leader; that man that fed him scraps with a cruel laugh, calling him a dog. He hated the people he stole from, that they were so happy and fortunate while he struggled to live. Struggled to know who he was at all.

_Have I fallen so far and is the hour so late?  
That nothing remains but the cry of my hate?_

Finally, Onigumo was a man, grown in hate and corruption. He no longer had any motive but his hatred. He hated the world, he hated his comrades, and he hated himself. But most of all, he hated the leader that had turned himself into an insect without morals or pride. So, he did what he had done so many times before. He killed what he hated. With the leader dead, Onigumo became the leader of the bandits he hated so much. He began to kill them too, without even knowing it himself. He would lead the band on missions he knew were hopeless, feeling a sort of sick satisfaction when each one died. He took women to his bed, laughing at their tears. They thought their lives were hard. Pathetic, simpering, weaklings that didn't know what it was like to be betrayed. Afterwards, he would lock himself in his room, and cut himself, forcing himself to release the pain he kept in a knot around his heart, careening into a sick state of euphoria.

Once he looked at his reflection in the water, but he recoiled at what he saw in his own eyes.

Pure, unadultured pain.

And then, it happened. He fell. Standing on the precipice of a cliff, fighting one of his dissenters, he fell into that deep chasm. At first, he was happy. Finally, the end had come. But then there was a moment of suspension. In a frenzied panic, he could think of nothing else but that he would be falling forever. That there would be no ground. For some reason, the expanse of nothingness terrified him. He flailed, trying to touch anything, anything at all.

And then he hit ground, in a smash of flesh and bone connecting against hard rock. He felt as if he had shattered into one thousand pieces, and there was no one there to help. No one to put back the pieces, to tell him he was going to be okay. Frenzied and alone, he tried to cry out, but his voice was just a weak moan. Nobody came. He was alone.

Why would anybody come? He had done nothing for anybody in his life.

_The cries in the dark that nobody hears?  
Here where I stand at the turning of the years_

Until she came, trekking through the darkness to find him. She touched him without anger or hatred or disgust. She treated his wounds, prayed for his soul. She spoke to him, and listened when he told her of his life.

And then she brought _him._

Onigumo saw the man's silhouette when he walked into the cave. He accepted that. Kikyo was a good woman. She deserved a man worthy of her.

_My life was a war that could never be won._

He concentrated on Kikyo, speaking to her as usual. But he couldn't help sneaking a glance at the man, just once, to see what sort of a man she loved. He was average height, shorter than Onigumo had been. He was a half-demon, with snowy white hair and dog ears. Onigumo did not mind that, even. He figured maybe demons were better than humans. They had to be, actually. Nothing could be worse than a selfish, ugly human. But when he looked into those eyes—

He was falling again, trying to grasp something, anything to save himself. Images flashed in his mind, of his mother's betrayal, His abuser, dead at his feet. Of his years, scrounging for food. Of his hatred of himself when he stole food and clothing to live. Of how he turned himself into a killer.

The man had the same eyes as he did, full of the pain of the world.

For that, Onigumo hated him more than anything he had hated in his entire existence. He hated him more than his father, who had beaten and abused him. He hated him more than his mother, who had abandoned him as a child. He hated him more than the bandit leader that had stolen his humanity.

He hated him almost as much as he hated himself.

Inuyasha walked into the room then, shaking Naraku out of his memories. "Oi. I'm coming in. Don't be naked or something creepy." He said, handing Naraku a basket of food. "Here. Your dinner."

Naraku took it, looking into the basket. "Roast duck? The witch outdid herself this time."

"Oh, well, she does that." Inuyasha turned away, oddly blushing. "It probably tastes like crap, though."

"Sometimes I cannot believe she is Kikyo's reincarnation." Naraku admitted, setting the food out on the picnic blanket Inuyasha had brought.

Inuyasha let out a yelp of laughter. "I know, right? They're like polar opposites!"

"Could you imagine Kikyo riding that contraption around?" Naraku mused, and Inuyasha erupted into gales of laughter. "Holy garb flowing through the wind."He added as an afterthought, and Inuyasha laughed even more.

"Seriously, I think that's the most twisted thing you've said to me." Inuyasha laughed, wiping his eye.

"More twisted than when I wanted you to become one with me?" Naraku asked nonchalantly, taking a bite of an apple. Inuyasha chuckled to himself.

"Yeah, that was pretty twisted." He leaned against the wall. "Why'd you want to fight us, anyways?" He asked suddenly, breaking the short silence.

"What?"

"Well, like, most of us had reasons. Kagome needed your jewel shards, Miroku had to kill you to fix up his hand, Sango wants revenge for her family, and to get Kohaku back. But you really had no reason to pick a fight with any of us. Why'd you do it?"

Naraku was silent for the space of ten minutes, staring at the shadows. Finally, he opened his mouth. "It multiplied upon itself. The monk's grandfather sought me out. Wanted to stop me from killing. Then the demon hunter village had always bothered me, like a single flower that still tries to survive in a hurricane. When I see things like that I just want to destroy them. And you—I'd hated you since the beginning. So killing you all seemed to be the natural course of action to take."

_If there's another way to go, I missed it twenty long years ago_

"What?! Why'd you hate me from the _beginning?_ What did I ever do to you?" Inuyasha protested loudly.

"Your eyes…they were so full of pain. I hated it to the core of m being."

"Oh. I get it. That's called empathy. It's the suckiest feeling ever—right up there with guilt. You see someone like you, and all of a sudden all those emotions you've tried to stuff down inside start bubbling up, and you don't want anything but for it to end."

Naraku stared at the hanyou. It was a rare moment of insight, and Naraku was surprised to learn that the hanyou actually had a brain. "You have felt this?" He asked, amazed.

"Sure. Like when we found Shippo, when his parents had just died, or when I met Sango who was trying as hard as she could to avenge her village, or when someone begs for their life. I feel it every day. It's awful." He looked away.

Naraku stared at the hanyou in a new light. Still, he turned away sadly. "I doubt that's it for me. You can't have empathy if you have no soul." He was disgusted with himself. Why did he lead such a life full of shame?

_I feel my shame inside me like a knife_

"You have a soul, Naraku." Inuyasha said, matter of fact. "Just because you've done bad things doesn't mean you have to forever."

_He told me that I had a soul. How does he know?  
What spirit comes to move my life? Is there another way to go?_

Naraku didn't even know anymore.

Had he ever?

* * *

The excerpt from the beginning is from "Porphyria's lover", which is like, the best poem ever. It's by Robert Browning. No, I do not own it. Nor do I own "Valjean's Soliloquy", which is from the great musical "Les Miserables."

Oh, and I don't own Inuyasha, either, but we all knew that, right?

Thank you those who reviewed. :) You are so nice and amazing. :)

Also, I had Midterms this week, so I didn't spend any time to grammar check it. I will later, but for now...could you forgive any grammar/spelling errors you see? This was just sort of written in a mad rush in like two hours. :( Sorry. I will go back and edit it...eventually. when I don't have a seven page paper due. :'(

Oh, did you like or hate how much I ended up quoting from the song? Sometimes I like stuff like this, a lot of times I hate it. I can't really tell when It's myself writing it. It was quite a bit...But I liked the general feeling of it...gyahh...I get really selfconscious when it comes to my writing.

But I digress. Read and review! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Dear Yuule,

Your review made my heart sing. Thank you so much :D

* * *

Day 58

_Realized anew how simple the idiot is._

"Why did you wear that baboon pelt?" Inuyasha asked, reaching into the picnic basket and pulling out his disgusting noodle mixture. How he ate that was beyond Naraku.

"I'm sorry?"

"You wore that baboon pelt, for, like, ever. What was up with that?" He slurped up a bunch of noodles, then continued, "I mean, monkeys don't really inspire fear into your heart."

"Don't they?" Naraku answered, scooping some noodles with his fork. The witch had made some pasta, with cheese melted on top. What was it Inuyasha called it? 'Zucchini Fettuccini.' It had a silly name, but it was delicious. Easily Naraku's favorite. "Monkeys always struck me as vaguely menacing creatures."

"What about them?" Inuyasha asked, finishing off the mixture by gulping the broth down his throat.

"What is not menacing about them? Just thinking about them—their suspicious, beady, black eyes, their sharp teeth that are nearly always hidden, their suspicious movements, their fierceness when threatened. When I was a young demon, before Onigumo, I was attacked by a hoard of monkeys. They can be fearsome if they so wish." Naraku shuddered, remembering. His demons memories were hazy and jumbled, but this one stayed fresh in his mind.

"Whoa. You're afraid of _monkeys?!_" Inuyasha started to laugh. "The great Naraku! Scared of monkeys!"

Naraku gritted his teeth, willing himself not to snap at the hanyou. His endeavors were unsuccessful. "At least I am not the lapdog to a human girl."

"Lapdog?! I am not her _lapdog!_" Inuyasha protested, grabbing Naraku's collar. "I dare you to say that again!"

"Unhand me, Inuyasha." Naraku ordered, voice calming. "I meant no offense."

Inuyasha twisted his face into a scowl, but released him. "Sorry. I just—it's embarrassing." He didn't elaborate, looking at the ground. "But you were embarrassed, too I guess…"

"I hadn't yet realized it was embarrassing until you began to mock me." Naraku said. What was he doing, saying such things? Why did he let Inuyasha know that he could embarrass Naraku so easily?

"Um, sorry. I mean, when you think of it as intimidating your enemies, it's actually pretty cool." Inuyasha conceded. "Like Batman."

"What?"

"Um…Kagome made me watch this movie with her…I didn't understand most of it, but this guy was scared of bats, so he dressed up like one to scare his enemies. And he fought bad guys! And it was so cool, because, they'd just hear a little sound, and get all scared, and then, right in front of them, in the darkness, he'd be there! Being cool! And he'd say something in his awesome low voice, and then-BAM! Knock the guys out!" Inuyasha punched the air, getting into it as he told Naraku the story. "I tried to do the same thing, a little bit, but…"

"It doesn't work when you wear bright red?" Naraku finished for him. Inuyasha nodded. "Your hair probably doesn't help either. It veritably glows in the moonlight."

"Yeah. It sucks. I never can sneak up on people. In the day, my haori's way too bright. At night, my hair is."

"It grew back, though." Naraku said, combing his hands through Inuyasha's hair, feeling its silky smoothness between his fingers. "I'm glad."

"Why?" Inuyasha gave him a weird look. "It's just hair."

Naraku just turned away, unable to answer the question.

* * *

Day 60

_Able to break down the barrier enough to let sound in. Making progress._

Naraku had finally done it. By flaring his youki to the maximum it could go, he had successfully managed to break down the miko's barrier enough to hear what was going on outside. It was a small success; he still could not leave. But it was still a success.

He tried not to admit that he wanted to hear Inuyasha's voice more. He loved those milky rich tones of the hanyou's voice. How he had never noticed how truly melodic Inuyasha's voice was, was beyond him. But it was like a drug. The more he heard it, the more he wanted to hear it.

It was not something he was about to tell any person. How much he loved to hear Inuyasha's voice—that was a secret he kept close to himself. Nearly as secret as the fact that he loved the hanyou's company.

Inuyasha was crude, crass, dumb, and had an all-in-all terrible personality. But it was refreshing. There were no hidden motives behind his face. If he thought something, he would say it honestly and clearly without any games. He got overly offended by little things, and would adorably pout about it until he got an apology. Naraku had become accustomed to things being afraid of him, so Inuyasha's fearlessness was refreshing. They could speak as equals.

Beyond that, though, there was something charming about Inuyasha. Something fascinating about the way he would toss his hair back, or scratch at his ear. Little gestures like when he would nod his head slightly or scrunch up his face were so interesting to Naraku, he could just watch the hanyou for hours.

He listened carefully through the flare of his youki to hear the sound of Inuyasha's rich voice. Finally, he heard it.

"Shut up, wench, I don't want to hear it right now!" Naraku smirked in satisfaction. Finally the witch was being called what she deserved.

"I need to go back home! I have exams next week!"

"We still need to find those shards! And what about the demon we met yesterday? What are you going to do about that?"

"We can fight it some other time! I have tests!"

"Some other time?! I'm not going to wait two whole weeks just to fight something I can kill now!"

"Fight it then! Who cares?"

"But…it…" Inuyasha stuttered, flabbergasted.

"Yeah. That's right. You're just scared it's going to kiss you again. Need a girl to protect you." Naraku paused. Some demon had kissed Inuyasha? He felt anger rising inside of him, for whatever reason. Such behavior would not be allowed.

"NO!" Inuyasha yelled back. "Kagome, look. I just want to show this guy he can't mess with me! And you're the only one who knows how to find him. With your eyes and stuff."

"No. After I get done with tests. I told you."

"You are NOT leaving, wench!" Inuyasha's voice raised a notch. "What if he comes back?!"

"Then I assume you will 'rip him a new one.' Isn't that what you've been saying since yesterday?"

"But—" Inuyasha fumbled for words. "Fine, then. See if I'll protect _you_ from Kouga from now on!"

"Who asked you to?!"

"Just leave! Can't you see you're not wanted here?!"

"Oh, that is—Sit, boy!" There was a slam, and then muttered curses as the girl left. Suddenly, another voice joined in.

"My loovvee!" Naraku felt shivers run up his back. It was the demon that had deflowered his Inuyasha. "The witch is finally gone! Now we can be together!"

"Gyah! Get away from me, you perv!" _Yes, Inuyasha,_ thought Naraku. _Get away from that creep._

"Aw, how sweet. Are you trying to run from me, love?" There was a rough laughter. Naraku felt his ire rise. _Get away from him, Inuyasha._

"Don't come any closer, creep!" A one second pause. "Argh! I'm going to kill you! Keep your mouth to yourself!"

Naraku felt a growl rise in his throat. What had the man done?

"Please don't pretend you didn't enjoy it, my love. Now, let's get you ready for the wedding." There was a snap of the fingers, and a horrified yowl from Inuyasha.

"You sick pervert! Change me back to my normal clothes!" Inuyasha yelled.

"But this is so much more flattering."

"Get away from me! Wind scar!" There was more laughing.

"This again? Haven't you figured out yet that such a pathetic attack does not work on me?" A pause. "Oh, I see. Running again, are we? Very well. I shall give you to the count of five. One-two-three-"

There was a light as Inuyasha wrenched the door open to Naraku's cell. Skipping the stairs, he jumped with all his strength into Naraku's prison. He didn't expect Naraku to be at the base of the stairs, though, and the two collided heavily, rolling to a stop against the wall. Naraku looked down at the figure under him.

Inuyasha's face was flushed, breath coming out raggedly. Naraku lay atop him, straddling his waist with his legs. Naraku felt his face flush at Inuyasha's dress. He was dressed in a white dress, swimming with ruffles, low cut, showing the hanyou's collarbone and smooth skin. Naraku gulped.

He was not having thoughts about the hanyou. It was just disconcerting, that was odd.

He did not think the hanyou was cute at all.

"What are you wearing?" He heard himself ask. Inuyasha blushed bright red.

"Shut up! This crazy pervert just used some sort of crazy magic—it's not my fault!" He spluttered, trying to cover his body with his arms.

"What have we here?" A man looked down into Naraku's prison. He was large, with long, bright red hair. "Is some insect bothering my love?"

Naraku glared back at him. "Yes. May I ask why exactly you thought it was a good idea to bother with my property?"

"Your _property?!_ I'm not—" He was cut off by an evil smirk from Naraku.

"Not? That's not what you were saying last night, when you were screaming my name." He raised a finger to his lips. _Be silent, Inuyasha. It is called a bluff._

The man above them frowned. "You lie."

"Do I?" Naraku chuckled. "How pathetic. Thinking you can touch someone who is so obviously out of your league."

"Same goes for you, _Khadhuz._" The man spat out. "Thinking you have a right to fall in love with a living being."

"What does that mean?" Inuyasha asked before Naraku could answer him. Naraku threw a look over his shoulder. Had the hanyou honestly forgotten about the tense situation afoot?

"He never told you, love?" The man smiled triumphantly. "A thief. That creature you embrace is a thief. He steals power, looks, even life. He's a creature that never died properly, and now cannot."

"What the heck does that mean?!" Inuyasha growled. "Speak normally."

"It means, that he was originally a human. Before he could die like a normal human, though, he stole the energy of on hundred demons, turning him into something disgusting—an anomaly that must be eradicated. He gains his power from absorbing everything around him—demons, humans, pure energy. Even now, the rat is absorbing all of your precious little miko's energy through this barrier. He can't even die, as long as there is something he can take energy from. The barrier, light, stone, wind, water; anything can be consumed to keep him alive. Now, come out. You know I cannot pass the barrier to save you from that creature."

"What's wrong with that, hey?" Inuyasha shot back. "How's that different from us eating food?"

"It is a creature—not demon, not human. Incapable of feelings or love. Those _things_ should be killed as soon as possible." The man scrunched up his nose. "They're tainted."

Inuyasha's eyes went dead, free of anger or passion. Naraku stared. He had never seen such a look from the hanyou before. It was unsettling.

"Get. Out." Inuyasha growled, voice dripping in hatred.

"What? But love, don't you understand? You are bedding a _monster._"

"Leave! Bakuryuuha!" The tornado unleashed its might, crashing through the door and hitting the man with its full force. The man only scowled.

"I will return." He spat, stalking away. Naraku looked at the chaos of what used to be the door to his prison. Now, it was a gaping chasm. What had the man said that had gotten Inuyasha so angry?

"I hate people like that." Inuyasha said vehemently, scowling at where the man was. "Just because you're not human or demon, doesn't mean you're a monster."

Ah. He had considered it a personal insult against his mixed blood.

"Inuyasha…you have a surprisingly big heart."

"Whaaaat?! Not even close!" Inuyasha made a gagging motion. "Don't make me throw up!"

Naraku just laughed to himself.

* * *

Day 66

_Witch came back. Fought with hanyou lackey. Might be longer before I can escape. Curse her._

Naraku ground his pen into the paper angrily. That little…

Things had been going so well. Inuyasha had been spending all his time with Naraku, playing card games and such. The food had gotten better, too. Naraku wondered at that. Inuyasha had always claimed the witch had been making the food, but she was gone. Why was the food even better now?

He hadn't dwelt on it, though, just enjoying Inuyasha's company, with his loudmouthed nature and cute gestures.

Cute… he had not thought that about the hanyou. He winced to himself. What was the boy doing to him?

But then, the witch had ruined it. There was no hiding the damage done to his prison. Not that it especially mattered, as the barrier was not so much as weakened. But it had gotten the witch's attention. He remembered the miko's angry voice.

"What happened to Naraku's prison?!"

"That demon came back. Just like I said he would. What was I supposed to do?! You saw how ridiculously powerful he was!"

"So?! You just randomly decided to destroy Naraku's prison, is that it?"

"No! Look, I knew how much your powers had affected him last time—a whole lot more than they did normal demons. So, I figured your barrier would keep him out."

"You went down there?!"

"What was I supposed to do?! Anyways, so the guy kept talking to me, saying annoying stuff, so I Bakuryuuha'd him to the next dimension. The barrier's still up, so there's not any issue."

"Not any issue?! Do you not see the huge hole in the ground?! Now he can get light and stuff!"

"So?"

"It's a prison, not a vacation spot! I told you! I read about it in my psychology class. No light, no sound, and no human interaction. It makes people go insane. It's supposed to be the worst sort of torture. So, if we can't kill him, this is the next best thing." Naraku's eyebrows shot up. So much for her being a saintly creature. She had earned his respect for that.

But she had sent Inuyasha down, had she not? She was contradicting herself.

"Why does he have to get tortured, anyways, Kagome? Shouldn't just imprisoning him be enough?" Inuyasha was taking his side, surprisingly enough. Two months ago, Naraku would never imagine such a thing happening.

"No way! He's evil! He deserves to be punished!" She stomped down the chasm, until she was just outside of the prison. "What's up with him, anyways? Why's he like that?"

"Like what?"

"It looks like he's meditating or something." She looked closer. "Inuyasha," She asked, voice suddenly deadly. "I told you not to go in there under any circumstances, didn't I?"

"Yes." Inuyasha was getting nervous. He tried to gesture something to me. _Just say it. I can hear you, you fool._

"So why does he have _my_ Lanterns I've been missing? Why does he have _my_ poetry book? And look at that—food! And his cell is clean! Please explain how this happened, Inuyasha." Naraku absorbed that information slowly. She had not told Inuyasha to visit him? And the hanyou had done it, all the same?

Inuyasha steeled himself. "I gave them to him. Kagome, I told you. I can't take it when I see crap like that."

"I know, I know. Your dark childhood and all of that." She waved her hand, dismissing it. "I told you not to go in there!"

"Kagome, you didn't see him! He couldn't even move!" Inuyasha rose his voice. "Even when I was imprisoned, they gave me food, at least!"

Inuyasha had been imprisoned once?

Kagome sighed, then smiled up at the hanyou. "It's okay. I forgive you. You were just being stupid, after all." She walked into Naraku's prison. He stood, feeling the prickle of spiritual energy from her. A barrier. Of course. She picked up the lanterns.

"He doesn't really need these, anymore, does he? Inuyasha, help me take these out." The hanyou obediently carried an armful of lanterns out for her. "And _this_—" She picked up the poetry book from the floor next to him, secretly using the opportunity to tap his hand once. Naraku gritted his teeth as he felt white hot pain surge up his arm. He would not let the witch have the satisfaction of knowing she had hurt him. "—is mine."

She sauntered out of the room, stopping when she left. She laid her hand on the prison, and it glowed pink briefly.

"There. All done."

"What did you do to the barrier?" Inuyasha asked, bewildered.

"Oh, well. I know I can't trust you anymore. You're just too stupid to keep away by yourself." Her face turned dark briefly, then brightened again. "So I solved that problem for you. Now, you can't go into the barrier, even if you wanted to. Isn't this great?" She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes, which glinted dangerously.

Naraku felt his heart fall into the pit of his stomach.

His last hope was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Day 74

_lllll lll_

With not even the smallest light to write by, Naraku was forced to satisfy himself with scraping tally marks in the wall to record time. Eight days. Eight torturous days of no light, no food, no water, and most importantly, no Inuyasha.

His only comfort as the hours stretched on was imagining himself murdering the wench, Kagome. He imagined finally escaping from his cursed prison. She would be there, waiting for him, when he escaped. He would first cut out her tongue, so he would never hear her annoying voice again. Then he would gouge her eyes out and shove them down her throat. He would tear her limb from limb, with agonizing slowness, starting with her fingers and toes, then her feet at the ankles, and her hands, at the wrists. Then the forearm, then the remaining arms, making sure she felt every second of pain.

Those were the fantasies he tried to concentrate on, but worse were the ones when he imagined Inuyasha getting attacked by that demon, without Naraku to protect him. It was difficult focusing on anything else some days.

He tried to force his demonic energy against the barrier, to weaken it once again, but it was useless. All he did was lose strength.

He was peeling off the witch's toenails, one by one. He was watching her slowly roast over a large fire. Her skin was blistering and cracking—

What is that horrid demon actually forced Inuyasha to mate with him? And Inuyasha was being violated right now, with Naraku stuck, helpless in his prison.

He tried once more to break the barrier.

Day 78

_Inuyasha is safe. Sent a servant down with a lantern._

That day, the demon Totosai had snuck inside with a small lantern and a letter. He told Naraku that Inuyasha was safe, but imprisoned in a village hut. According to Inuyasha, they had caught him trying to break down Naraku's barrier with the red Tetsusaiga one too many times. Inuyasha had gone to great lengths to find someone willing to send down a lantern for Naraku. Totosai was the only one remotely willing, and only after much convincing and threatening.

To Naraku's relief, the demon had not come back since Inuyasha had used Bakuryuuha to fight him off. Inuyasha explained that the demon tended to stay far away from Kagome. At least the witch was good for something.

Enclosed in the letter was some poetry Inuyasha had copied out, thinking Naraku would enjoy it.

The gesture was so simple, but so thoughtful that it made Naraku's heart leap. He read the poetry hungrily, eager to see the poems Inuyasha had thought Naraku would enjoy. Naraku laughed at the choices.

"Porphyria's Lover," "The Raven," "On the Late Massacre at Piedmont," and a child's poem, "The Cat Came Back" were the ones Inuyasha had chosen. All poems on violence and death. Naraku hadn't heard of the last one, but found himself laughing at it all the same. The premise was that an old man kept trying to give this cat away to people, but it kept coming back. He laughed as each verse became more violent than the last.

He gave it to a little boy with a dollar note,  
Told him for to take it up the river in a boat;  
They tied a rope around its neck, it must have weighed a pound  
Now they drag the river for a little boy that's drowned.

If only such a cat could kill the witch.

Day 80

_I have broken down the barrier enough to let sound in. Finally._

Finally, Naraku could hear the happenings of the outside world. The first thing he listened for was Inuyasha's voice, and sure enough, he heard it.

"Hag!" Naraku smiled a little. Of course, the first thing he heard Inuyasha say would be an insult.

"Yes, yes, I know you are upset, Inuyasha, but I can't help you."

"Come on! You have miko powers. Can't you at least _weaken_ the barrier?" Inuyasha pestered. "I can do the rest."

"Inuyasha, do you even realize what you're saying? You are talking about releasing _Naraku._ Your enemy. The monster who killed hundreds of people. You spent a full year trying to kill him. And now you want to release him?"

"Yeah." Inuyasha said it so matter of fatly, it surprised even Naraku. Did the hanyou not have any sense? By all rights, he should hate him more than Kagome.

"Why? Do you not remember that he is the reason your life with Kikyo was destroyed?" Naraku felt a weight settle in his stomach. It wasn't guilt. He was not capable of such emotion. But—it wrong, knowing that he had ruined the life of someone he was so indebted to, now.

"Look Kaede, here's the thing. I don't do long, thought out revenges. I get angry, I strike back, and then I'm done. I'm not smart enough to hold a grudge."

"He ruined your life!"

"Not really. My life is fine now, isn't it? See what I mean? I just can't hold too many things in my mind."

"Very well. Then do not keep him on your mind. Ignore it. It should be simple, should it not?"

"It's not. So, help me break the barrier."

"I cannot do that, Inuyasha, I am sorry."

"You…senile hag! I freaking saved your life a hundred times, and you can't even help me take down one puny barrier?!"

"Inuyasha. You do not realize—"

"What do you know?! You haven't ever seen him. You don't know that he'll kill people when he comes out!"

"That's right. I don't know. And I'm not willing to risk the lives of innocent people on your hunch."

That quieted Inuyasha down, but Naraku heard him grumbling insults under his breath. The interaction made him smile. Inuyasha had not given up on him. He stillwas trying his best to get Naraku out of the prison. Naraku felt his hope begin to resurface.

He tried to break the barrier once more.

Day 82

_That spoiled, supercilious, self-righteous little witch deserves to die._

Naraku stewed in his prison. How had he not realized before how infuriatingly she treated Inuyasha. It was as if she thought him to be her pet. No, worse than a pet. One wouldn't abuse their pets like she abused Inuyasha.

"Hey, Inuyasha, sing me a song." She ordered, and Naraku punched the wall. It was things like this that bothered him the most—how she would casually order Inuyasha around in the most degrading ways, thinking nothing of it.

"I don't want to." Inuyasha answered.

"Do it, Inuyasha." Kagome ordered again, voice dangerous. Naraku heard a sigh from Inuyasha, and he wished he was there to protect the hanyou from the witch.

"Fine. What do you want me to sing?" Inuyasha agreed reluctantly.

"Ummm…How about 'I'm a Barbie Girl?'"

"No."

"Aww, come _on_, Inuyasha not even for me?"

"No. Never." There was silence for a while, and then Kagome offered,

"If you do, I'll break the barrier to Naraku's prison."

"Really?" Inuyasha asked. Naraku narrowed his eyes. There was something strange about this. After putting up such a fuss, she is now willing to release him on a whim? Naraku wished he could tell Inuyasha not to listen to her. But he couldn't. Inuyasha sang the embarrassing song for her, start to finish. Naraku felt his face heat in embarrassment for Inuyasha.

Sure enough, at the end, Kagome just laughed, "Wow, I can't believe you actually did it!"

"So now, you have to release him. Just like you promised." Inuyasha said seriously, only to have her laugh more.

"And you believed me? I was just messing with you, idiot." Oh, that was _it._ Naraku felt his youki flare up, and felt cracks begin to form in the barrier. This was the last straw. You just don't do stuff like that! Suddenly, another voice joined them.

"That is it, miko child." Came the rumbling voice of the demon Naraku hated so much. Not him. "I have listened to you bully my precious little wifey quite enough. I will not settle for it anymore."

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it?" She challenged. The pervert demon hesitated, then there was rustling and a squawk from Inuyasha, and he answered again.

"Steal him from you."

Naraku's youki surged around him like a hurricane, pressing up against the walls, but ven that could not compare to his rage as Inuyasha was kidnapped by the person Naraku hated the most in this world.

The barrier broke with a resounding crack


End file.
